Wakad, 6th January 2026: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will launch its election campaign today in Ward No. 25 of Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), comprising Wakad, Tathawade and Punawale, with a programme scheduled to be held in Punawale Gaothan.
The campaign will be inaugurated in the presence of former corporator Rahul Tanaji Kalate, who is the BJP’s official candidate from the ward, along with other party candidates, office-bearers and workers. Following the launch event, a padyatra will be taken out through key areas of Punawale Gaothan to reach out to residents.
The programme will begin at 4 pm from the Kalbhairavnath Temple in Punawale Gaothan. The padyatra route will cover Kalbhairavnath Temple, Borge Wada, Oval Vasti, Savatamali Temple and conclude at Punawale Highway Chowk. BJP candidates Kunal Vavhalkar, Shruti Ram Wakadkar and Reshma Chetan Bhujbal are also expected to participate in the outreach programme.
Following the announcement of municipal elections, the BJP witnessed significant political induction in Pimpri-Chinchwad, with Rahul Kalate’s entry drawing considerable attention amid resistance from some local aspirants. However, after the party officially inducted Kalate and declared him as its candidate, local leaders closed ranks and have begun campaigning under his leadership.
Speaking on the occasion of the campaign launch, Kalate said he has been representing Ward No. 25 since 2017 and has consistently received support from voters. “The people of this area also stood by me during the Assembly elections. During my tenure as corporator, I was able to address key issues, including the long-standing Punawale garbage depot matter, and complete development works such as the Kashinath Krishnaji Dhawale (Patil) Oxygen Park, water tanks and open gym facilities,” he said.
Kalate added that efforts are underway to address traffic congestion through the development of internal roads. “Struggling for public interest is not new to me. However, beyond protest, my resolve is to provide concrete and effective solutions to citizens’ problems. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, citizen-centric development will be accelerated and every issue will be addressed in a time-bound and result-oriented manner,” he said.
During the padyatra, party leaders and candidates will interact directly with residents to understand their problems, suggestions and expectations. With the message of “development, trust and victory,” the BJP said it aims to take its development agenda to every household in Ward No. 25 as campaigning gathers momentum.
The post PCMC Elections 2026: Rahul Kalate Leads BJP Campaign Kick-Off in Wakad–Tathawade–Punawale appeared first on Punekar News.
